gouged Camshaft

[Naveed]

Ok so a friend" gave me 2 sticks. and I looked them over and one lobe has a small gouge in it maybe 2 MM in diameter and 1/2 mm in depth i can feel it....does that mean it would be unusable?

He supposidly used them in his car (which ran bout 450Hp)

 

[TSIfreek]

Need pics

 

[Defiant]

That cam's probably not usable. They're case-hardened, and that lobe will probably beat itself to death in short order. Just off your description.

 

[Doug99RS]

Any distortion in the lobe will mean the movement of the valve will be different than all the other valves. Duration and lift will be shorter and the efficiency of that cylinder won't be as good. Best that you can do with that cam is put it next to the seat and beat someone with it.
Doug

 

[Naveed]

i didnt even think to post pics.....ill get some up later 2nite.

 

[RayH]

Isn't the roller contacting the lobe alot wider than 2mm in which case it wouldn't even "see" the gouge?

 

[Doug99RS]

Yes but something damaged the lobe and it's only inevitable that the cam will continue to wear thus causing the problems listed above. The wear was caused by something. Either the cam had a soft spot in it and is bad or the follower/roller damaged it requiring it to be replaced.

 

[DSM90AWD]

When I installed my FP2s one of my cam followers (rockers) came unseated slightly from it's perch and gouged a small ring into one of the lobes when I cranked it over the first time.

I've run it now several thousand miles like this and recenty had the valve cover off and saw that it is exactly the same as it was

 

[Doug99RS]

Perhaps a picture or two would make it a little easier to determine if this is one of those "let it slide" wear marks or not.
D

 

[Apeximprt2nr]

I wouldn't think it's useable. Clearly explained by Doug99RS. I'm still interested in seeing pics though. Use it to threaten people with it, or maybe even a towel rack. Someone on here made one from their cams.

 

[Naveed]

couldnt find this old post of mine so i started a new one, brought to my attention by another member. Anyway i have posted alot of pics of this cam and its mark.

http://photos.yahoo.com/rainesbane

 

[DSM90AWD]

What brand cams are these btw? I remember the older WebCams had issues with premature lobe wear. Though looking at your pics, it seems like something metal was picked up and run between the follower and lobe creating that indention.

Did you friend give you any hints as to what happened?

 

[Naveed]

I think they are just stockers out of a 91 5spd, he told me that they would be better than the stock 95 auto cams that I had (better lift and such).....he didnt say how it got damaged, but he said that it ran fine and would not be an issue. But one of my friends says that he Bull$hits sometimes.

does it look like It is unusable?

 

[blue1]

looks usable to me. the roller follower runs on a lot more than that!

 

[Naveed]

thanks.!

i am bolting them on today.....I ll repost how things go.